Water-gas process



Dec. 9, 1930.

T. w. STONE WATER GAS PROCESS Filed Nov. 22, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l imm INT

Dec. 9, 1930. I T, w STONE 1,784,765

WATER GAS PROCES S Filed Nov. 22, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1936 UNITED STAT-Es PATENToFFlcE THOMAS W. STONE, OF FORT WAYNE,l INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN GAS y CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF FORT WAYNE INDIANA, A. CORPORATION OF IN- DIANA WATER-Gas rnocnss Application led November 22, 1923. Serial No. 676,308.

The invention relates to a method of pro# ducing water gas and more particularly to a method of producing water gas involving the reverse steam-dow principle, and has for its objects to employ the reverse steamj flow principle for-the production of water gas during both the up and down runs through V the generator, whereby regeneratively superheated steam may be employed in the entire operation of gas production..

According to present practice involving the use of the reverse steam-flow principle, the procedure has been to preheat the steam only `on the reverse steam-flow and during the down run in thegenerator as distinguished from the up run. In the present invention the process is designed to ei'ect paratus, a more eilicient and complete production of gas, because the j injection of hydrocarbon oils into the apparatus is permitted during the down run as well as during the up run, both of which also 'involve employment of the regenerative actlon ofthe reverse steam-How. l

ln addition to the general objects recited above the invention includes among its objects such other improvements-and advantages in construction and operation as are found to obtain in the structure and devices hereinafter described or claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and showing, for purposes of exempliication, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but with- .out limiting the claimed invention specilically to such illustrated instance or instances:

Fig. l is a side elevation diagrammatic in character of a water gas apparatus or set involving the present invention.

Fig. 2`is -a plan view of the same, also generally diagrammatic in character.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a generator of any desired or preferred type as is commonly used in water gas manufacture and which is charged with fuel from a charging opening or feeder located at the top thereof and indicated at 13;,2, thecarbuneter, and 3- represents the` superheater. Communication between the upper portion of the fuel chamber of the generator and the carbureter is provided by symmetrically located substantially horizontal pipes 4 and 5 having branch pipes 6 and 7 communicating with the upper portion of the carbureter.

A hot valve l is provided in the pipe i as is usual in water gas sets of the general character illustrated, the hot valve controlling the alternate up and down runs throughA the generator, during the gas producing cycle. In its down position the hot valve 10 cuts oft' communication between the pipe connection 27 leading to the the carbureter 2 through the lower pipe connection 36, and in this position of the hot valve the blast is ready to beturned on, the upper connection 4 between the generator and the carburetor being open to permit blast products to pass from the upper portion ofthef generator into the carbureter. In its up position, the hot valve cuts on' communication between the generator and the carbureter through the pipe connection 4 and establishes communication between these elements through the aforesaid lower connection 36. This latter position of the hot valve iseected at the conclusion of the blast and preparatory to a gas making run.

According to the invention, the carbureter 2 is divided into halves by a lire brick partition wall 1l, providing in effect a separate carbureter chamber communicating with each .l of the pipes 4 and 5 leading to the generator 1.

Oil sprays l2 and 13 are located o n the top portion of the'carbureter 2 and are designedYV to introduce oil or other suitable enriching hydrocarbons into the carbure'ter, eachspray communicating with one of the carbnreter compartments formed by the partition wall il.. The superheater 3 is similarly divided generator, and

lui

by a central partition .wall 14 into semi-circular halves and communication between the separate compartments of the carbureter and the two chambers or compartments of the superheater is a'orded by means of a lower pipe connection 15 divided into two separate compartments by means of a partition wall 16 so that separate continuous passageways will be Q maintained between and through the carbureter and superheater. Stack valves 17 and 18 are provided, one for each compartment lof the superheater 3, said valves being of usual ,or preferred construction, operated in the or.

dinary manner, and communicating with a stack or stacks 17a. Communication between the two compartments of the superheater 3 and a tar seal box 19 is provided by the .pipes 20 and 21 having valves 22 an'd 23 therein which are designed to be hydraulically controlled so that either of said valves Amay be opened or closed or both may be opened at the same time. The tar seal box 19 is further provided with a riser pipe 24 for the discharge of the water gas.

From the construction described, it will be vseen that two separate and continuous passages are maintained from the generator 1 through the connections 4 and 5 to the carbu- 4,reter, through the vlower connection 15 to and through the separate compartments of the superheater, and then out through the corresponding stack valves 17 and 18 or through 4'the tar seal box connectionsl20 and 21 to the tar batter and gas main accordingto whether a blow or run is in progress.

The air. blast is produced by a blower 25 and is conducted to the lower portion of the water gas generator, below the fuel bed by means of a horizontal pipe 26 terminating in a down 'run ipe 27 and which blast enters the generator elow the grate by means of the connection 28 with which the lower end of the down "run pipe 27 communicates. A suitable blast control valve of lusual construction is located in the pipe 26. Branch pipes 31 and 32 are provided which communicate -at 'one 'end with the blast pipe 26 and at their other ends communicate with the two chambers of the carbureter.

Carbureter blast valves 33 and 34 are located in the branch pipes 31 and 32 to control 'is first introduced into -the pipe 26cthrough the blast valve '35 which is opened, and. into the base of the generator through the down run connection 27, the hot valve 10 being in its down position to prevent the blast from en tering the carbureter prior to its entrance into the generator, and the pipe connection 4 between the carbureter and the top of the generator being open in the position of the hot valve.

From the lower portion of the water-gas generator 1 the blast passes up through the A fuel bed and at the top of the generator the blast gases will pass through'thepipe connections 4 and 5 into the two parallel compartments of the carbureter. As the blast gases from the generator pass into the two compartments of the carbureter, they will meet an auxiliary air blast introduced into both chambers of the carbureter from the auxiliary connections 31 and 32 and carbureter blast valves 33 and 34, inl order to produce a secondary combustion in the two compartments of the carbureter. From `the carbureter, the blast gases will pass simultaneously and independently through the divided lower connection 15 to the superheater, up-

wardly in parallel through the two compartments of the superheater and out through the stack valves 17 and 18. The valves 22 and 23 are closed during thisV operation to prevent the passage of the blast gases into the tar seal box and gas main. rlhis operation is continued until the apparatus has been raised to the required temperature -at which time the lo'o air blast is discontinued. The carbureter blast valves 33 and 34A and the lmain blast valve 35 are then closed and the hot valve 10 is reversed so that on the left hand of the l branch connection 6, through the hot valve 10 which is open and into the generator through the down run connection 27. During this passage through the several elements described, the steam has been highly superheated by its passage through the checkerbrick and is highly superheated when introduced to the water gas generator. The steam so superheated will pass upwardly through the fuel bed, combining with the constituents thereof and the steam and resulting gases are conducted from the generator through the connections and 7 1nto the other half or compartment of the carbureter 2. The gaseous products resulting fromthe passage of the steam through the fuel bed of the generator and which are conducted as described into the other half of the carbureter have been converted into uncarbureted water gas or what is known as blue water gas. As the gas so produced enters the carbureter, oil is introducedby means of the spray 13 and the enriched gaseous products pass downwardly through the carbureter, through the hith erto unused half of the lower connection 15 into the superheater. Thegases thence pass upwardly through the right half of the su` perheater and out through the oltake connection 21 and open valve 23 into 4the tar seal box 19 and thence through the riser pipe connection 24 into the gas line. The opera-v tion described is the making of a standard steam up run on a water gas setwith the steam superheated or regenerated by one half of the carbureter and superheater checker brick. l f A The next ensuing operation corresponds to the ordinary steam down run, in combination with which the reverse steam-dow is also employed. The valve 22 is opened and the valve 23 is closed. Steam is no longer admitted through the connection 29 but is admitted through the pipe 30 and will pass down to the right or other half of the superheater as viewed in Fig. 2 looking from the the corresponding lower connection to the carbureter, up through the right half of the carbureter and out through the connections 7 and 5 and into the top of the generator, the hot valve 10 being maintained'in the same position to connect the bottom of the generatr with pipe 4. Superheated steam so admitted is forced downwardly through the fuel bed within the generator and is transformed into blue water gas. From the lowerpportion of the generator the resultant blue water gas passes upwardly through the down run connection 27 and is conducted to the carbureter through the connections 4 and 6 in a similar manner as obtains'.4 in present practice for a down run. Oil is now admitted to the incoming. gas lthrough the oil spray 12 instead of the oil spray 13, and the resultantenriched` gases pass down through the left half of the carbureter, through the carbureter superheater connection 15, upwardly through the superheater, outwardly through the 0fftakepipe or communication into the tar seal box and thence through the riser connection into the gas line. The latter operation described permits of oil being introduced into the gas during the combined down run and reverse-streamflow.

After the steam has ,passed through in the manner described for the desired orproper length of time, theoil is shut off at the spray 12 and the steamand resultant gases are allowed to flow through the apparatus until all of the vapors have been properly purged fout. Steam is then cut oli from the pipe and is admitted-from the pipe 29 and is passed backwardly through the set in the same directionI as during the first operation dev scribed, but during this last reversal no oil is admitted into the 'carbureter from the spray 13. This arrangement provides for steam at the ash pit of the generator so that no blue Water gas is left. s soon as this has :been

ed by means of the air blast from the blower l- 25 in the manner described.

Thedinvention as hereinbefore set forth is embodied in a particular form of construction but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making carburetted water gas which consists, in: passing a blast of air vertically upwardly through a fuel bed in a-single water gas generator thereby forming air blast gas and passing the air blast y gas in independent streamsto and burning generator 1 towards the seal box'19, through it in separate compartments of a single shell carbureter and a singleshell superheater by admitting secondary air theretorthen discontinuing such passage of air; then passing a flow of steam successively through a compartment of the superheater, a compartment of the carburetter and upwardly through the fuel bed of the generator to make water gas,

and passing the water gas from the top of the generator successively through another compartment of the same carburetter and enriching the water gas with oil therein and through another compartmentof the same l superheater to fix the gas therein; discontinumg such fiow of steam and passage of gas and, before again reheating the single generator and the compartments of the single carburetter and superheater, passing a flow of steam successively through the compart- ,ments of the superheater and carburetter that were just used for fixing and enriching the water gas and thence .downwardly through said fuel bed to make water gas, and passing the water gas from the bottom of the generator successively through the compartments of the carburetter and superheater through which steam was previously passed to the generator and enriching with oil in the carburetter and fixing in the superheater the water gas while liowing therethrough.

2. In making water gas the method which CLK through the fuel bed of a generator to bring the fuel bed to incandescence and to produce air blast gases and passing the air blast gases successively in separate parallel streams through a single vshell carburetter and a single shell superheater and burning the air blast gases therein; shutting off said air blast `and introducing a flow of steam successively through the superheater, carburetter :1nd ini candescent fuel bed of said. generator, to generate water gas in said generator, and passing the .Waterv gas generated back through said carburetter and superheater to a gas receiver; and, before again introducing a blastof air, then reversing the direction of flow of steam through said elements and introducing a flow of steam successively through the superheater, carburetter and fuel bed of the generator-to generate Water gas before again bringing the fuel bed to incandescence, and passing the Water gas generated back through Said carburetter and v superheater to a gas receiver.

3. A method'as claimed in claim 2, and in which the Water gaa` is` enriched with oil in thecarburetter and fixed in the superheater during both directions of flow of steam to make carburetted water gas.

4. In making Water gas the method which consists in: passing a blast of air vertically through the fuel bed of a single generator to produce air blast gases and thence passing the air blast gases in independent streams through separate compartments of a-shell carburetter and a single shell superheater and burning such blast gases in the compart ments of the carburetter and superheater by admitting secondary air; shutting off said air blast and then passing steam successively through one superheater compartment and one carburetter compartment and the fuel bed of the generator to make water gas and passing the water gas back through the other carburetter compartment and superheater compartment; then reversing the direction of low of said steam and then, before again passing a blast of air through said elements, passing steam successively` through said other superheater. and carburetter compartments to and through the fuel bed in the generator to make Water gas, and passing sald Water gas successively through said one compartment of the carburetter and superheater compartments.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, and in which the water gas made during both directions of flow of steam is enriched by oil in the respective carburetter compartments and ixed in the respective s'uperheater compartments to form carburetted water gas during both directions of flow of steam and Water gas.

6. In the operation of a previously heated steam successiviy through the compart-V ments of the superheater and carburetter and thence passing the superheated steam vertically through the fuel bed 'in the generator to make Water gas, thence passing the resultant Water gas back through the rarburetter and superheater andenriching thegas with oil in the carburetter and fixing the gas in the superheater. p

- THOMAS W. STONE. 

